


No Need to Pretend

by Perpetual Motion (perpetfic)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M, First Date, M/M, big sisters are the best and the worst, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 11:17:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21427360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/perpetfic/pseuds/Perpetual%20Motion
Summary: Rafael and Sonny on their first date. Mild shenanigans ensue.
Relationships: Gina Carisi/Original Character(s), Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 100





	No Need to Pretend

Sonny holds the door open for Rafael as they step into the restaurant. It's their first date, and Sonny's picked a place that he really hopes Rafael will enjoy.

"Looks nice," Rafael says quietly as they step up to the hostess stand. There's a couple in front of them, and they hang back a bit. 

"I've only been here once before, so I'm hoping I remember the food accurately," Sonny replies as he pulls his scarf from his neck. He can't quite stop himself from twisting it in his hands. He looks down in surprise when Rafael lays his own hand over his. 

"You don't need to be nervous," Rafael says. "Not like this is a classic first date."

Sonny smiles at him, warmth taking over his chest as he looks into Rafael's eyes and sees a quiet contentment he knows is mirrored in his own. "I know. I just...really want it to be a good date. I mean, I've wanted to ask you out since the first time I saw you."

"I know," Rafael says, his smile going so soft Sonny feels like he's going to be overwhelmed with the affection in it. "But I like how we got here much better than just taking a blind chance. We know each other. We can really enjoy each other's company tonight."

"Yeah," Sonny agrees softly. He glances up and sees the couple in front of them are being taken to a table by the hostess. There's another young woman at the stand waiting to greet them, so Sonny steps up. "Hi," he says. "Carisi, party of two."

The woman checks the tablet on the stand, and her eyebrows crease in confusion. "I'm sorry, Sir, but you've already been seated."

"Huh?" Sonny says, glancing at Rafael, who shrugs. 

"Yes, Sir. It looks like you arrived ten minutes ago?" The hostess cocks her head at her tablet, then looks at him, still confused. "If you'll give me a minute, I'll figure this out. I'm sure we can find a spot for you if you don't mind a short wait."

"We'll sit at the bar while you figure it out," Rafael says, all genial hospitality. 

"I bet someone's finger slipped. It's not a big deal," Sonny adds. "It happens."

The hostess smiles again, one a bit more genuine than the first one they saw. "Thank you for understanding. I'll find you at the bar once I work this out."

They walk over to the bar. It's a half-circle and mostly empty. They sit at the far end, tucked away from the main dining room. The bartender comes over, and Sonny orders a glass of Pinot Noir while Rafael orders a scotch. Sonny leans towards Rafael and smiles. 

"Sorry I time-traveled here to steal my own reservation," he says. 

Rafael chuckles and leans towards him until they're pressed together from shoulder to elbow. "Well, I hope your other date goes terribly." 

Sonny ducks his head, his smile widening. "Yeah, me, too."

The bartender drops off their drinks, and Rafael raises his glass. "I assume you have a toast ready." His smirk is showing, but it's loose, a light tease, not an insult.

"I mean, I didn't write anything down, but I could wing it," Sonny replies, holding up his own glass. "To being here how we got here."

"I like it," Rafael says. 

They tap their glasses together, then drink. Sonny's surprised when Rafael leans over and presses a quick kiss to his mouth after, the smoky aftertaste of his scotch fitting nicely with the spiciness of Sonny's wine. 

"I just needed to get that out of the way," Rafael says, close enough for a second kiss. 

Sonny ducks down to take that kiss, letting it linger for a moment. Nothing too showy or tacky. Just his lips pressed tight against Rafael's, then a small peck to finish it off. When he pulls away, Rafael lays his hand on top of Sonny's, and Sonny gladly intertwines their fingers. 

They don't talk, simply lean against each other and enjoy their drinks for a few minutes. The hostess finds them as they're both about half done, and she has a bright, relieved look on her face. 

"Mr. Carisi, we have a table ready for you two."

"Excellent," Sonny says, standing up, still holding Rafael's hand. 

"I figured out what happened, too," the hostess continues as she leads them to the dining room. "Turns out, our morning host saw we had two Carisi reservations at the same time and assumed one was a duplicate, so she deleted the other."

"Seems logical," Sonny says. "I doubt it's a name that comes up double a lot."

"My manager has assured me she's not going to get reprimanded for it," the hostess replies.

"Good, she shouldn't," Rafael says. "It's an honest mistake."

"Exactly," the hostess says. She steps to one side as they approach a two-person table, already set with cutlery and water glasses. "Your server will be with you in just a moment," she says. 

"Thanks," Sonny replies as he and Rafael take their seats. Before they can shake out their napkins, someone walks over to their table. Sonny spies the engagement ring and silently curses a blue streak. 

"Dommy! What are you doing here?"

Sonny glances at Rafael, who looks confused and mouths, 'Dommy' at him. Sonny looks up at the woman standing over the table. She's impeccably dressed--a bit overdressed for the location, but that's not out of the ordinary. Gina's always been dramatic like that. "Gina. Hi. I'm here having dinner."

She looks at Rafael, sizes his up from his shoes to the part in his hair, then turns back to Sonny. "I can see that," she says with the exasperated, withering tone of older sisters everywhere. She looks at Rafael again, holding out her hand. "Gina Carisi. Dommy's sister. Since he can't seem to find his manners."

Sonny doesn't bother pointing out Gina didn't give him a chance to make introductions. Gina will just talk over him. He gives Rafael a quick, reassuring smile. "Rafael Barba, this is my sister Gina. She's apparently also having dinner here."

Rafael shakes Gina's hand and gives her a polite smile. "Sonny's mentioned you," he says. "I assume you're here with you fiance."

Gina beams and turns around to wave someone over. Rafael looks at Sonny and holds up three fingers. Sonny stifles a laugh and holds up four. Gina's changed fiance's since the last time Sonny mentioned her, apparently. 

"Honey, this is Rafael Barba," Gina says, gesturing to Rafael. "And you remember Dommy. You met him at Sunday dinner a few weeks ago."

"Hi, Charles," Sonny greats Gina's fiance. He'd seemed nice enough at Sunday dinner, a pleasant, laid-backed man who seemed quietly amused and impressed by Gina's general take-no-prisoners-only-one-lead-in-the-play style. 

"Good to see you, Sonny," Charles says, holding out his hand. Sonny is silently grateful Charles isn't trying to get away with calling him Dommy. The only reason Gina gets away with it is because Sonny gave up fighting her on it years ago. 

"Nice to meet you," Rafael says to Charles, shaking his hand as well. "What do you do, Charles?"

"I'm a very boring financial advisor," he says. "Lucky for me, this incredibly interesting woman recently showed up in my life."

"I'm an architect," Gina says to Rafael. "His guest bathroom is a mess."

"So I'm told," Charles says, beaming at her. "What do you do, Rafael?"

"I'm an ADA for Manhattan Special Victims," Rafael says, and Sonny doesn't miss the flash of surprise on Gina's face. "Sonny and I work together."

Gina looks at Sonny, sizing him up in the same way she just sized up Rafael. "Is this a...business dinner?"

Sonny glances at Rafael. Rafael shrugs. "No," he tells Gina. "This is a date."

"Oh, we should leave you--"

"How long have you been seeing each other?" Gina asks Rafael, talking over Charles. There's a wicked edge to her smile. Sonny takes a sip of his wine so he doesn't snap at her to mind her business. She'll only snap back. 

Rafael looks at Sonny with so much affection, Sonny can only smile back. "We've been casually seeing each other for awhile," he says to Gina. "We decided to make it official with this dinner, actually."

Gina's eyes go wide, and she puts her hand over her mouth. "Oh, my goodness. Well, we should leave you alone, then. Have a lovely dinner." She beams at Rafael, then turns to Sonny and leans down to kiss his cheek. "See you on Sunday."

"If I'm not working," Sonny replies, kissing her cheek in return. He nods to Charles as as Gina straightens up. "Good to see you again," he says. 

"You, too," Charles says with a return nod. He says goodbye to Rafael and leads Gina back to their table. Sonny is glad to see it's far enough away from them Gina can't eavesdrop. 

Rafael looks at Sonny and chuckles quietly. "So, that's Gina."

"That's Gina," Sonny agrees. "Explains the reservation mixup."

"It does," Rafael says. 

The server walks over then, handing them each a menu and quickly rattling off the specials. She leaves them to look at the menu, but Sonny doesn't open his right away. Instead, he looks at Rafael and watches the way his eyebrows draw together as he reads the menu. 

"What?" Rafael asks without looking up. 

It's Sonny's turn to chuckle. Of course Rafael knows he's being watched. "I appreciate you saying we've been casually dating," he says. 

Rafael looks up at him. "She seems the type to _definitely_ want to stay and chat if she knows it's a first date."

"You're not wrong," Sonny replies. He opens his menu and is halfway down the appetizers list when he realizes Rafael is laughing silently and trying to hide it. "What?" Sonny asks, not looking up. 

There's a very quiet wheeze, and then Rafael clears his throat and says, "Dommy, huh?"

"As the eldest, she can call me whatever she wants," Sonny says with a tinge of Gina's imperious tone coloring his own. "And just because I want to be called something else doesn't mean she has to listen to me."

Rafael shakes his head and closes his menu. "I have never been happier to be an only child."

Sonny laughs and closes his own menu. "She's not all bad."

"She seems genuinely happy to see you," Rafael replies. "But if you want to get revenge, feel free to tell me how she ended up leaving fiance number three."

Sonny laughs again and glances towards Gina's table. She and Charles are wrapped up in each other, and he's pretty sure they'll pay them no attention for the rest of the evening. "Okay, but when you make it to Sunday dinner, you have to pretend to be shocked when she gives her version."

"I'm nothing if not discreet," Rafael replies, and he reaches for Sonny's hand as Sonny starts to tell the story.

It's not the exact first date Sonny had imagined, but as he spools out the story and watches Rafael's eyes light up with amusement, Sonny feels like it's the exact first date for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to M for the beta!


End file.
